


A long journey´ s end

by green7silver



Category: Black Sails
Genre: F/M, Fix-It, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-15
Updated: 2017-04-15
Packaged: 2018-10-19 05:55:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10633635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/green7silver/pseuds/green7silver
Summary: John Silver isn´t the only one, who can plan the lives of other people.





	

A long journey´s end

Silver was more than relieved when he could see the outskirts of the farm drawing near. He was exhausted after their long journey, and walking with his crutch was becoming painful.

Madi had been growing restless lately.  He had as well.  And when she suggested to leave Maroon Island...he hadn’t been surprised.  Boston, however was.  She’d informed him of an old friend she wished to visit, an eremite she once knew, and he was curious.  Jealous, even, when he observed Madi’s elation upon receiving the letters of one  _ Mr. Fraser. _

The Maroon Queen took pity on him and explained that Mr. Fraser had been a dear friend of Mr. Scott.  That he was a merchant Madi had known from childhood.  The very same man who helped them escape the Spanish all those years ago.  And, he was the only white man who knew about their Island for in all that time.

If Madi wanted to visit him, then Silver wouldn´t object. In fact, he would do anything to make her happy. It had been months that she had forgiven him, but their relationship still remained strained. Something was missing and he couldn´t figure out what to do.

He had hoped that having Madi back would help with pain of never seeing Flint again, but somehow it intensified it instead.

But leaving the island hadn´t seemed to do the trick either. During the journey Madi seemed even more reserved and withdrawn.

And Silver had never been good with silences. When they arrived in the shady yard of Mr. Fraser’s farm, he couldn´t suppress the question anymore: “We aren´t okay, are we?”

Madi shook her head.  responding with a terse, “No, we are not.. Because …” She trailed off, and another voice finished for her, coming somewhere from the old stable beside the house: 

“...Because it isn´t enough to keep someone safe, if you aren´t able to reach them.” Silver froze.  He would have recognized the voice everywhere, even before the man stepped out of the shadows of the stable and into  his vision. Red hair flaming in the sun as green eyes met his own.

“Flint …” Silver’s head rushed.  His balance shifted.  He felt himself falling, but strong arms caught him before he could hit the ground, pulling him into a close embrace.

Feeling Flint´s arms around him, smelling his well-known scent after months of hopeless longing was too much. John began to shiver uncontrollably, tears pressing against his eyes. 

His captain just tightened his hold, holding him steady.  Securing him, as he rubbed circles into John’s back, soothing and calm.

John didn’t know how long until his shaking ceased.  How long until he was able to lean back and search Flint’s face. He’d never expected to see Flint again. Least of all now.  And yet, Flint just smirked at him. Bending down to kiss his lips, as John melted into his embrace. It was long and sweet, and John swooned.  Two additional pairs of hands braced his back and shoulders.  Keeping him from falling to the ground.  It helped, but even so, when Flint released him, he was still dazed.

“John, are you still with us?” Madi’s voice was teasing, but held more warmth, than it had for ages.

“Maybe you should just come in and sit down,” the tall man standing at his other side suggested gently. For all that John had heard about him, he never had seen Thomas Hamilton in person before.  But there was no doubt that that’s who this man was.

John wasn’t sure how he managed to walk in the house, but once there he collapsed into a chair near a great fireplace.

“I´m glad, you two finally arrived,” Flint said, kissing Madi with the same intensity he’d  kissed John. From his place by the fire, John could only stare.

A mug of rum was tapped against his arm, and Thomas gave him a sympathetic look as he said, “You probably should drink that.”  He did too. Knocking it back with far too much haste.

And instead of refilling the mug with another round, the former Lord replaced it with water.  Smiling faintly as John grimaced.

Still, Silver couldn´t wrap his head around all that had happened. “You two conspired against me,” he concluded, looking at Flint and Madi, even if in his voice was still more guilt than accusation.

“Well, we weren´t too sure how you’d react of us leaving the compound, after you put to so much effort in ending that war,” Thomas replied almost apologetically. “So we deemed it safer to let you see for yourself, rather than giving you the chance to find a new way to lock us in a cage.”

There was no point in arguing against that. “But how could you get out without anyone noticing? I left Hands to—””

“—I know,” Flint replied with far less bitterness than John would have expected. “But he was looking for a revolt or a flight. We left the compound in stealth and with the blessing of the owner. You of all people should know what money can buy with him.”

“But you didn´t have any money.”

“Oh, I had enough. I  _ was _ a rather successful pirate.  I had a cache of my own, and an agent in Boston. I just needed a way to contact him.”

“You must understand, that I was very angry with you in the beginning,”Madi continued, taking John’s hand. “And I was not sure if I believed you. So I sent my friend Mr. Fraser to the compound to find out if James really  _ was _ all right. From there, he helped him to contact his agent and was later the carrier of our letters to each other.”

Silver felt as though his head were about to explode, or struck by one of the Walrus’ canons perhaps.  He lifted a hand to rub at his temples, struggling to process the information.  “Maybe we should put off some of the explanations for later,” Thomas suggested, sliding effortlessly into place as Silver tried to come up with something to say.  “I’ll prepare a bath for you,  and afterwards we can talk more over dinner.” 

“You are too kind,” Madi replied, giving him a wide smile.  John still didn’t know what to say.

***

John offered Madi to take her bath first, but she insisted, that it had been for more exhausting for him to walk the way to the farm. Still too tired for an argument, he stripped out of his clothes and let Madi help him into the tub, thankfully sinking into the warmth.  Soothing the aches in his body.

But his eyes were still on Madi, when she sat down beside the tub.

“Good for your muscles?” she asked when she grabbed a towel and began to wash him. “It was a long journey, I know, how it exhausting it must have been for you.”

John grunted noncommittally and relaxed further, feeling her hands on his body.

“I´m sorry, I didn´t believe you,” Madi said quietly after a while. “That I believed, instead, that you could have killed James.”

“There was a moment on that island, when I could have done it,” John confessed. “Out of pure rage and desperation. But, I have no idea how I ever would have lived with it. I can understand that you didn´t trust me, after all I had done, but all I ever wanted was keep the two of you safe. I never wanted to lose your love in the process.”

Madi gave him an indulgent smile, before she kissed him. “I still love you. I just needed time. I think I missed him as much as you did.” he meet her eyes and found for the first time no resentment there. “Now relax, and let me look after your hair.”

After the journey his long hair was matted and dirty. Generally, it  _ was _ a relief to get it clean. But having Madi wash it, gently untangling the strands and massaging his scalp patiently, was more soothing than anything he could accomplish on his own.  He closed his eyes, and leaned into her touch, feeling his strained nerves give way with every tangle of hair she set free.  Soothing him into complacency one lock at a time. 

***

Thomas provided bread and cheese after their bath.  Setting it on the table as James and Madi chatted enthusiastically about the future.  Making plans for gardens and plots of land.  It all felt far too...long lasting, and eventually Silver needed to ask.

“This isn´t visit, isn´t it? You plan on staying here.”

“Do you object?” Madi asked, raising a brow at him.

Silver was at loss: “I don´t know. That´s all so sudden …”

He saw Flint and Madi share a knowing smile, but Thomas shook his head. “I know, you two enjoy the retribution, but have a bit of pity on him.” His eyes wandered to Madi. “Would you be interested to see the farm? There some herbs we already managed to grow in the garden.”

“I would very much like to see”, Madi replied already getting up.

After they had gone, Silver let his head fall into his hands, exhausted.  Flint sat down at his side, and it felt too close for comfort.  Turning, John let his body twist.  Putting his back to Flint as he forced his gaze toward the window.  Watching as Madi and Thomas made their way across their land.  He was determined to not look at Flint, ashamed of how he might react.  But Flint ignored his posture.  Silver felt strong hands move to rest on his tense shoulders, working on the knots. “Are you all right? It´s all a bit much, isn´t it?”

“Oh, yes.”

“Retribution can be a bitch, hm.” His voice softened. “But Thomas is right, we don´t really want to hurt you. Tell me, what you need.”

“Forgiveness.” And god, how much he needed it. “I betrayed you, after you let me off the hook for so many things before.”

And it was a blessing that he was facing away from him and didn´t have to look in his face him right now.

“A general amnesty then,” James´ voice was full of amusement. “Let me see….I forgive you for being such a little shit when we first meet, stealing the schedule right under my nose and burning it before we could catch you and all the other things, you did to drive me mad.

I forgive you for nearly poisoning my men with your non-existent cooking skills.” John had to chuckle at this, but the next words made him tense up again. “I forgive you for stealing the gold and selling it to Rackham of all people. Hm, I didn´t think, that that one would still bother you that much.”

“It´s nothing compared to what I did now, but that theft was like a stone in my stomach for months.”

“Could have fooled me in the boat,” Flint rubbed his shoulders soothingly. “And as much as you surely had earned that, it´s all long forgiven and forgotten.”

“And Skeleton Island?” John´s voice was forlorn, “I was so angry and desperate, that I could have killed you. I sent six men to kill you. I sacrificed them just so they could at least slow you down. And then, even after you saved my life, I attacked you.”

“You were emotionally compromised and I knew then what running away with the cache would lead to,” Flint murmured into his ear. “And you  _ were _ right, I wanted to do things my way.”

“And  _ you _ were right about Rogers. He´d never had let us get out alive, even if I had given him the cache,” Silver shuddered as he remembered that day. “The Walrus, all our men, it was my fault …”

Flint gently turned him around and pulled him into his arms. “I wish I could do something to ease your guilt, but I can´t.  As a commander, some days you make the wrong decisions.  You can´t see everything, can’t  _ know _ everything, and then your men pay the price.”

Silver soaked in as much comfort as he could from Flint’s arms.  Relishing in them for a moment, before he finally confronted the one thing that had haunted him for the last few months. “I´m sorry I betrayed you. That I unmade you and imprisoned you. I´m so so very sorry.”

He buried his head deep in Flint´s shoulder, not able to look at him.

“You know, that I would never have invited the two of you here, if I hadn´t forgiven you all along,” comforting hands stroked through his hair. “You were right about this war. We never had a chance and I was too blind in my rage to care about how it would have destroyed all of us.

Sending me to the compound, to Thomas, was probably the only way to stop me without killing me. And I wouldn´t have gone on my own free will. You saved me from being consumed by darkness. I might not have liked your methods, but I appreciate the sentiment behind them.

Taking the choices away from Madi and I was, of course, wrong. Especially when you shut me out of your life—”

“—I didn´t want to shut you out. I just didn´t think you’d want to see me again,” Silver whispered. “I felt so guilty. And I thought, I had no place in your life anyway after you had Thomas back.”

“Little idiot.” Flint kissed gently on the crown of his head. “There will always be a place for you in my life.”

“Despite everything?”

“John, look at me.” Very very gently Flint forced John’s chin up.  “You are forgiven. All your lies, all your sins, all your betrayals. Let it go now.”

“Thank you,” John shivered lightly and Flint kissed him, waiting for him to regain composure before continuing. 

“I also want to apologize. It is true, that we were worried, what you would do, learning of our flight. But we also wanted to show you what it means when people make your choices for you.

It was cruel, because we both knew how much you were hurting.”

“It was the purgatory,” John admitted. “But I earned every second of it.”

“Debatable, but anyway, it is over now. “

Flint bent down and John automatically tilted this head to meet him, but James went for his ear instead, catching the lobe between his teeth, sucking it gently.

John shuddered, when the sensations went directly to his groin.

Sloppy kisses were trailed along the sensitive skin behind his ear and a hand palmed this growing erection through his trousers.

“What do you think, if we go to my bedroom and I show you, how much you are forgiven?” Flint purred into his ear.

“I think I would like that.”

John was not really sure, what he had expected from their lovemaking, but it hadn´t been the absolute tenderness he received.  Flint worshipped each part of his body, until each limb was set aflame with need. It was strange for John to be passive, but when he raised a hand to touch Flint, it was gently caught and each finger was kissed.

“No, let me this time. I think we both need it.” And maybe he was right.  Maybe Silver did need to feel how much Flint loved, desired, needed him.

When they had reached their peak together, lying in each other’s arms for long time afterwards, John could feel how the hole in his heart was finally starting to heal.

***

Later that evening, they were sitting around the fireplace. Madi and Thomas were discussing some Greek philosophers, while John listened to their voices.  One already beloved, and one new...but already growing so very dear. And as he lay there, with his head in Flint´s lap,  the older man stroking through his hair, he felt at peace for the first time in ages.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I would be pleased about reviews, but even more pleased about other writers, who give the four of them the happy end they deserve.  
> Thanks to Wind_Ryder for her patience!


End file.
